Tao Ren's Aftermath Feelings
by Michiko Kougai
Summary: the night of horo's engagement, pirika remembered one event...this lead to her romantic feeling for the certain chinese shaman. please read and review. THANK YOU


Tao Ren's Aftermath Feeling

By Michiko Kougai

It is the night of Horo and Tamao's engagement day. My brother seems very happy about it. In a few more months he'll get together with the person he loved. Well, they will be living in a different place now. But it's kind of ironic; I don't feel any kind of sadness or disappointment about the choice my brother made, I guess when he's happy—I'm happy too!

I was looking around the crowd when my eyes suddenly landed on my brother's best friend. Tao Ren and my brother long ago established themselves as the rivaling best friends. I thought at first that they will never grow close with each other and they will just consider themselves as annoying bastards competing for nonsense, but now I stand corrected. They are the best of friends and completely inseparable.

Few minutes later different colors of lights began to flash signaling for everyone to dance. My brother held his hand out to Tamao and they started to groove. Yoh had also held his hand out to Anna asking her to dance with him. Surprisingly, Yoh didn't receive any hard slaps or the usual nose bleed coming from the itako. Instead, he received a very gentle smile- well that smile is so rare to capture- from his fiancée accepting his offer.

They are so amusing. I can't believe that everyone will be paired up like that. They are so happy. Love really is strange.

But right now, I can't help to wonder where the Chinese Shaman went.

I sighed.

I decided to walk towards the buffet table and get myself a drink.

'_Dang, this drink is so tangy! I should remind onii-chan to never purchase this anymore." _I thought as I walk towards to my seat where I could see a good view of everyone.

It took me a long time to finish the tangy drink my brother had purchased for this celebration. It suddenly reminded me of an event that happened a few months ago when we have the reunion at the Asakura's.

FLASHBACK

Everyone in the onsen was participating in the dance. So this is some kind of a 24/7 party again since everyone was still on the groove in the middle of the night. I got thirsty and decided get myself a drink over the small table, Yoh had prepared early that morning.

I chose to drink the beverage with the blue-green color. I know this might sound strange and even icky but that's what I fancied that evening. As I took a sip, I realized that it was quite bitter and tangy all at the same time. I spit it out off my mouth and started to make faces over the dreadful drink.

I felt a light tap on my shoulder and as I turned around I saw Ren. I hate to admit it, but- he looks so stunning tonight.

"How was it?" He asked me.

"I'm telling you it is bad! If you're going to try one, better not." I answered him still with a disgusted look on my face.

He chuckled at my reply. Well I mean not on my reply but maybe on how I looked.

"What's so amusing that I don't seem to know, Ren?" I asked as I raised a brow.

He shook his head and chuckled a little before he answered, "Nah, it's nothing. You just look so irresistible with-" He stopped mid sentence and cleared his throat. I noticed that he tensed a bit. That was when it struck me; Ren just said what he felt about me at that certain time. It was so forward that I could feel my face heating up.

He looked around and tried to avert my gaze. "Let's walk around. I mean if you want to."

I smiled still with a crimson face, "Sure."

We walk out the room where the party is going on and found ourselves standing in front of the newly built fountain Yoh had especially purchased for the said occasion. It was shaped like an ice cream with different colors of light in every scoop making it really unique and attractive. On the other hand the water flows from the top to the bottom like drips from the ice cream it self. It's really interesting.

I looked at Ren. I saw him staring, not on the item in front of us but gazing at me. I gulped. _'What's going with Ren?' _I thought.

"Um Ren?" I started as I waved a hand in front of his face. His eyes widen and he blinked a few times.

"Wh-what?!" he asked defensively.

"You're spacing out." I replied.

"I was? Oh…" he sighed.

This time I was the one who took the opportunity to look at him. I smiled inwardly. I noticed how much of a man Ren grew for all these years. But he's still the same. He still has the same great mass of dark pointy hair, he really take good care of his priceless ego, the same air of arrogance was still there and he grew extremely handsome for anyone's liking making any girl fall in love with him instantly. Don't forget as well that as an heir of the Tao family, what Ren wants Ren gets. Some kind of internal rules and regulations in their family that everyone seems to follow,

Thinking about it, Ren would not ask me to accompany him if he has nothing to say to me. He would not spend his priceless time being with the company of an Ainu if he could grab someone out there and entertain him.

"Ren," I started.

"Hm?" He looked at me. My heart started pounding.

"Do you have something to tell me?" I said in one breath. I felt my cheeks heating up again.

"What do you mean?" He replied.

"Well, I'm just wondering why you asked for me in the first place to accompany you for tonight. It's rare, you know."

There was a long silence. But I can see clearly that there's a tinge of red on both of his cheeks. His eyes looked up to me as I feel that Ren's face is getting nearer and nearer. I stiffened as I felt his arms encircle my waist pulling me closer to him. "Just to do this—" Now the inevitable happens. I felt his lips on top of mine. It was as light as a feather but it brought tingles to every part of my body.

Ren pulled away. I stared at him blushing hard as I touched my lips with one of my fingers.

"R-Ren?"

"I-I'm sorry! I got carried away!"

He turned his back from me as he swiftly ran away leaving me there astounded. "Why'd he kiss me???"

END OF FLASHBACK

I sighed as I recall what had happened. It was surely a surprise in my part. I never thought something like that could happen. I mean Ren was not the type who gets carried away about those things. He plans well especially when it comes to his feelings.

Okay, this was ridiculous. I should not think of it. The party is heating up and I love its atmosphere. I should enjoy this!

A moment later someone tapped me on my shoulder. My eyes widen as I find the gesture too familiar. I turn around and saw Ren looking straight at me. _'He looks really good today._' I wanted to kick myself for this thought of mine. Why can't my brain shut up for a bit and stop. _'How could I be thinking about him this way?'_

"How's it going?" he asked.

"Uh- pretty well," I replied stuttering.

"You want to dance?"

After his question had been processed in my head, I felt my face heating up again. So trying not to look at his eyes, I responded, "S-Sure."

He smirked as he led be to the dance floor.

We began dancing. Suddenly as a slow romantic song started playing and everyone in the dance floor, especially the couples, changed their moods. I saw the women putting their arms around the man's neck while the men encircling their arms around the women's waist, pulling each other closely.

I stiffened as I felt Ren's arms around my waist pulling me closer to him. "Better put your arms around my neck so we'll not look stupid." Ren whispered as I felt his warm breath around my ears.

I blushed hard as I reply, "y-Yeah, r-right,"

It was suddenly so calming. Everything seems to be at peace.

"Pirika, do you remember the time I asked you to come with me months ago at the reunion?"

"Yeah." I answered coolly, why is he bringing this up again?

"Well, I'm sure you remembered that time when I ki—"

I suddenly cut him off. "Why did you do that to me? Why did you kiss me then walk away as If nothing happen? What are you saying you've been carried away? Things aren't suppose to be like that! You're being con—"

Now I was the one who was cut off. He shut me up with a kiss. The feeling of his lips on top of mine was still the same but this time it was passionate. It's full of emotions. He deepened the kiss more. I did not have the guts to pull away nor respond to his hiss. It seems that my body is suddenly turned to a statue before I even knew it. He suddenly pulled away leaving the both of us breathless.

He looked at me straight in the eyes but I keep on avoiding it. He lifted my chin so my eyes were staring back at his golden orbs. I blushed.

"Pirika, I did that because I- I really like you and I don't have any idea how to tell you."

"Ren, I-"

"I forced my own feelings towards you back then. I thought when I kiss you, you'll get it."

"Ren,"

"Hear me out. I really like you. I'm sorry if I made it hard for you. I never really expect that you'll be able to return my feelings. Even though, I'll wait. I'll try my best to make you like me."

"Ren, don't worry about it!" I said as I smiled at him. "Don't worry about the kiss. I like it, er I mean I l-like you too! Your feelings are reciprocated Ren." I replied.

"Really?" he questioned.

"Yeah, Ren really!"

I gave him a peck on the cheek, he stiffened but he relaxed a few seconds later. The song started to end and Ren pulled me even closer. "I love you." He whispered.

"I love you too, Ren"


End file.
